ENGLEWOOD — Thanks to a recent grant, the Montessori School of Englewood will be able to provide health and wellness resources and services to students and families in Englewood.
The Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago and the Chicago Department of Public Health announced this year's Healthy Chicago 2.0 Seed Grant recipients Wednesday. Each organization submitted proposed projects that aligned with an existing community plan and Healthy Chicago 2.0 goals, objectives, or strategies.
“Healthy Chicago 2.0 recognizes the work already happening in our communities across Chicago,” city health commissioner Julie Morita said in a prepared statement. “By investing in community-based organizations, we are not only improving the health and success of our neighborhoods but also building capacity at the grassroots level for sustainable progress.”
The organizations all serve local community areas with high economic hardship and/or very low childhood opportunity. The selection process gave special consideration to proposals that address the conditions that promote heath in a community, including access to social services and healthy food, safe public places, social cohesion and collaboration across community organizations, officials said.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said that Healthy Chicago 2.0 is a representation of the city's values.
"That no matter the neighborhood, children and families deserve good health,” he said. “These new community partnerships support that vision and residents in accessing the healthy food, space to enjoy positive activities and healthcare services they need to strengthen their well-being.”
The Montessori School of Englewood's leadership team will use the funding to support the work of a community health and development coordinator. That will help broaden and sustain collaborations that will provide health and wellness resources and services to students and their families, officials said. The school is at 6936 S. Hermitage Ave.
“We are excited to welcome these new organizations into the Healthy Chicago 2.0 Seed Project,” said Karen A. Reitan, executive director of the Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago. “We are thrilled to be working with five unique organizations who are driving community-led efforts to improve their neighborhoods.”
A total of $175,000 in seed funding has been awarded for 2017. Grants range from $19,000 to $40,000. This is the second year of Healthy Chicago 2.0 Community Seed grant awards. The grants run from July 1-Dec. 31.
Other grant recipients include:
• Build Inc. for the Austin community
• Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community for Armour Square
• The Inner-City Muslim Action Network for Chicago Lawn/Englewood/West Englewood
• Southwest Organizing Project for Gage Park/Chicago Lawn/West Elsdon
